Is it a car? Is it a plane? Is it a robot?

PUBLISHED: 15:40 21 April 2017

Notes p10

DANIELFORTMANN·COM

All three according to Italdesign and Airbus, who displayed at the Geneva International Motor Show in March Pop.Up, an ‘electric, zero-emissions, multi-mode modular vehicle system designed to relieve traffic congestion in crowded megacities that makes full use of both ground and airspace.’

The Pop.Up System consists of three elements: an artificial intelligence platform; a vehicle shaped as a passenger capsule designed to be coupled with two different and independent electrically propelled modules (ground and air); and ‘an interface module that dialogues with users in a fully virtual environment.’

At the heart of the concept is a monocoque carbonfibre passenger capsule which transforms itself into a city car by coupling to the battery-powered ground module’s chassis. To escape road traffic, the capsule disconnects from the ground module and is carried by an air module propelled by eight counter-rotating rotors. Once passengers reach their destination, air and ground modules autonomously return to recharge stations to wait for their next customers.

‘The Pop.Up... [bridges] the automotive and aerospace domains,’ Airbus says. ‘Pop.Up’s modus operandi is simple: passengers plan their journey and book their trip via an easy-to-use app. The system automatically suggests the best transport solution according to user knowledge, timing, traffic congestion, costs and ridesharing demands, joining either the air or ground module or other means of transportation to the passenger capsule, and following passengers’ preferences and needs.

‘Thanks to the possibility of combining the capsule also with other means of public transportation, the Pop.Up offers a seamless travel experience.

The user can stay for the entire journey in the same capsule without worrying about switching between different travel modes and enjoy the entire commute time, with real time interaction between the capsule and the surrounding urban environment and communities.

On 28 November Textron Aviation confirmed long circulating rumours that it was developing a new ‘clean sheet’ twin-turboprop utility aircraft, now revealed as the Cessna SkyCourier 408, with FedEx Express as launch customer

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on GA announced in early December that it now enjoyed the support of a record 85 Parliamentarians, making it one of the biggest APPGs in the current parliament and further strengthening the voice of GA

Commercial pilots can now apply for a licence online, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced. The new service is part of the CAA’s plans to update the personnel licensing system for the UK aviation industry, with private licence applications following next year

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has announced the appointment of Richard Moriarty as its new Chief Executive. Richard was appointed following ‘a rigorous selection process including a significant number of excellent candidates’. He will succeed Andrew Haines, whose term of office is due to expire in the Summer of 2018